Under the auspices of UN Climate Change, over forty leading apparel brands, suppliers and supporting organisations recently launched the ‘Fashion Industry Charter for Climate Action’ at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP 24) – which is being held Poland. Signatories to the new Charter include brands such as Puma and H&M, who both chaired working groups on the new initiative, as well as Adidas, Burberry, Esprit, Gap, Hugo Boss, Inditex, Kering Group, Levi Strauss and Target, among other organisations.

These companies have now set an initial target to reduce their aggregate greenhouse gas emissions by 30 per cent by 2030 and promised to phase out coal-fired boilers or other sources of coal-fired heat and power generation in their own businesses and direct suppliers from 2025. The signatories have appealed for wider support from the fashion sector and urge new parties to sign up to the Charter’s new commitments.

The new charter was signed by 42 organisations including leading brands and retailers, fashion industry environmental NGOs and textile suppliers. Aligned with the goals of the Paris Agreement, the Charter contains the vision for the industry to achieve net zero emissions by 2050.